The Carolina Panthers have claimed offensive tackle Jonathan Martin off of waivers. After one season with the San Francisco 49ers, Martin was waived by the team. The 49ers traded for him last offseason following a high-profile bullying scandal during his time with the Miami Dolphins. In 2014, he played in 15 games and started nine games in place of right tackle Anthony Davis.
Jonathan Martin claimed off waivers by Panthers
The offensive tackle played for the 49ers last season following a bullying scandal in Miami.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Martin was coached by Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, which is likely a big reason why San Francisco traded a seventh-round pick for him when it looked like the Dolphins would release him. Harbaugh has since moved on to coach at Michigan, so it wasn’t surprising to see Martin released despite the fact that he was a contributor and an important backup in 2014.
An investigation from Ted Wells after the 2013 season revealed that Martin was harassed by teammates Richie Incognito, Mike Pouncey and John Jerry while with the Dolphins. That report led to Incognito's ousting from the team and Martin's eventual departure.
A second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Martin has somewhat underperformed on the field, though he's shown flashes of high-level play. He'll bring added depth to his new team, and could still potentially improve at a relatively young age 26. Slated to earn $1,042,400 in his 2015 contract year, he'll be a low-risk addition.
With the Niners, Martin played a total of 661 snaps and has started 32 out of the 38 games he’s appeared in during his three-year career. Moving forward, a fresh start with a new coaching staff could help him find footing as a viable NFL player.
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